Seattle Gum Wall

By The Nag in Travel on Aug 16, 2010 at 7:10 pm

I like culture but not the type that grows in a petri dish. This Seattle tourist attraction is one I’d avoid like the plague.

One of the most offbeat attractions in the United States, the Seattle Gum Wall is also one of the most germ infected tourist spot in the world.

Located in Post Alley, under Park Place Market, the Gum Wall has its beginning in the early 1990s, when people, irritated that they had to wait in line to get tickets to the theater, stuck chewing gum on the wall. At first, they would use the gum to stick small coins to the wall, but in time, the tradition of the coins disappeared, and the gum remained.

Link – Via Book Of Joe

Tags: gum wall, Seattle

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vonskippy
Aug 16th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
“the Seattle Gum Wall is also one of the most germ infected tourist spot in the world.”

Is there any science to back that statement up?

The flora in the mouth of healthy humans is minimal, and old chewing gum doesn’t have nutrients to sustain or grow microbes, so how can it be the most “germ infected” anything?
The Nag
Aug 16th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Might be. Might not be. I’m not about to lick it to find out.
Johnny Cat
Aug 16th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Only in Seattle.
snarlz
Aug 16th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Bleh! Whenever I see a pic of this tourist spot, my stomach does a flip.
Dkay
Aug 16th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
As a former Washingtonian (Seattle/Tacoma), I should let you know that it’s located under Pike Place Market, not Park Place Market. Pike Place Market is pretty famous in itself (just Google it). Have you ever heard of the guys that throw fish to the customers? Well, perhaps not… That should be another Neatorama article.
LisaL
Aug 16th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
There used to be something like this at the theme park here.
It was on one of the walls going to one of the rides. Can’t remember which one.
I remember there only being a few pieces of gum at first. And through the years, every time we’d go, there was more and more until the entire wall was covered.
I haven’t been back in a few years, but they cleaned it or just put up a new wall now. Seemed like people were still trying to keep the gross tradition alive though.
lulu
Aug 16th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Pretty. disgusting.

Is this on public property?
If so, why did no one clean this up?

Y.u.c.k.
the_monocle
Aug 16th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Not only in Seattle, I live in San Luis Obispo, CA, and we’ve got our own Bubblegum Alley that’s been around since at least the seventies. Freshman orientation groups at Cal Poly always make a visit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubblegum_Alley
KD
Aug 17th, 2010 at 1:59 am
Dont know why this is even a tourist attraction. I live in Seattle, have frequented the Market for 25 yrs, even worked there & have never been down to look at it, BLECH! Sooo much more interesting stuff!
Splint Chesthair
Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:33 am
I’m not sure why this sets people off so much. Are we that sanitized that used chewing gum causes are tummies to churn? I think it’s pretty interesting.

Have you ever chewed gum from someone elses mouth after they’ve been chewing it? It only takes about 3-4 seconds before it starts to feel like your own.
OhYes
Aug 17th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Man, I can understand why most people would be disgusted by this but I am in love with it. It’s like art or something. I’m not saying it’s culture but it’s the little things like this that make humans special.
Gauldar
Aug 17th, 2010 at 9:34 am
@Splint Chesthair

I know where you are coming from, but I’m afraid I can’t say that I’ve been a practitioner of gum swapping experiences.
Jaycatt
Aug 17th, 2010 at 10:12 am
My gum is on that wall! Back before there was a lot of gum and it became a true gum wall. Here’s a link to a picture of my friend and I pointing to our gum (I’m the shorter one):

http://www.effinjay.com/115-037.jpg
christine
Aug 17th, 2010 at 10:42 am
ugh
Kryptonian
Aug 17th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
The sad part is that the coin tradition probably didn’t last because some few losers were desperate enough to peel the coins off the gum and use them to… buy more gum, no doubt.
ted
Aug 17th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
In Juliet’s house in Verona, Italy, the walls are covered in love notes held on by gum. Been happening for years.
Noelegy
Sep 16th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I’m not normally a germophobe, but…YUK.

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